Linking landscape data with population viability analysis for evaluating translocation as a conservation strategy for greater rhea (Rhea americana) in central Argentina

BAZZANO G.; GIORDANO PF; NAVARRO J. L; MARTELLA M.B

ORNITOLOGIA NEOTROPICAL

NEOTROPICAL ORNITHOLOGICAL SOC

Lugar: ALEMANIA; Año: 2014 p. 25 - 35

1075-4377

We developed a population viability analysis (PVA) for wild Greater Rheas (Rhea americana) in central Argentina, linking spatial data to a non-structured metapopulation model, to evaluate the effectiveness of rhea translocations as a conservation management tool in agricultural landscapes. We simulated the expansion of the agricultural area for a 10-year period and recorded abundance, number of populations over time, expected minimum population size and the likelihood of the metapopulation to fall below the threshold of 30 individuals, under two simulation scenarios: ?with translocation? (artificial movement of individuals between populations) and ?without translocation.? We compared the results with field population data collected from the same study area. At the end of the simulation period, the habitat suitable for Greater Rheas was fragmented and reduced by 84%. We observed a decrease in population size in both scenarios, but the extinction probability was 85% higher in the ?without translocation? model. This result was supported by the observed abundance of Rheas in the field, which was closer to values predicted in the ?with translocation? than those in the ?without translocation? scenarios. Therefore, translocation might be used as an efficient conservation tool for this species.